Machine for diagnostic and/or therapeutic treatment, particularly a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for diagnostic and/or therapeutic treatment, particularly a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, comprising, in combination therewith, a table for supporting the patient, with at least one peripheral recess in the surface of the table or of a part thereof which recess is complemented by a side of the operating surface forming part of the structure of the machine, particularly of the delimitation walls of the cavity or chamber for accommodating the patient.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for treatment of a patient comprising a machine for carrying out the treatment and has an operating surface with a first edge; and a table for supporting the patient at the machine and being engageable and disengageable with respect to the machine, the table comprising a supporting surface provided with a recess disposed in a peripheral second edge thereof, the recess being shaped complementarily to the first edge and removably engageable therewith. 
     
     
       2. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the recess of the table has an insert for filling-in the recess and lying flush with the supporting surface, the insert being removable from the recess to allow engagement between the machine and the table. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the recess has a substantially smaller size than a supporting surface of the table such that the recess can be bridged by the patient's body without affecting the overall support of the patient. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the table has a plurality of the recesses, and the recesses are located in respective end areas of the table. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the recesses is provided in an area of the table configured for supporting a patient's trunk. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein there is provided means for coupling the inserts to the supporting surface. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein in order to provide adaptability to several different sizes of different operating surfaces, the insert comprises modular elements which can be coupled to each other, the modules having different respective shapes, so as to allow them to fit differently shaped operating surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the table is transversely divided into first and second parts that are pivotably connected to one another about a substantially vertical axis, the first part containing the recess. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the first part of the table is provided, at a side thereof facing the second part, with supporting means for supporting the second part of the table for angular movement with respect to the first part while maintaining the supporting surface sections flush with one another. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the recess has a median axis oriented coaxially to a central longitudinal axis of the table, which recess is open at a side of the first part of the table which is opposite to the side thereof connected to the second part of the table. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the supporting means for supporting the second part comprises a U-shaped frame and an arched jointing guide attached to the U-shaped frame. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the recess has a U shape, the first part of the table having a circular outside perimeter arranged coaxially with the arched jointing guide, and the second part of the table has a circularly arched surface at an end thereof facing the first part. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second parts of the table has two legs, whereby the first and second parts are operable to render the table self-supporting. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each part of the table has a sufficient number of legs to enable each part to be self-supporting when separated from the other part. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the machine includes having a C-shaped magnet, said magnet having a cavity which may be accessed from three sides of its perimeter, said cavity being in part delimited by a lower horizontal side, said lower horizontal side forming said operating surface. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the machine comprises a mobile Nuclear Magnetic Resonance machine, the recess being small enough to be bridged by a portion of the patient's body without affecting a support thereto. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine comprising a magnet having a cavity for receiving a patient, wherein the operating surface delimits part of the cavity and has means for securing thereon a receiving coil for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the operating surface, wherein the coil is disposable selectively in one of a plurality of predetermined positions. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the machine comprises a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, the table comprising two parts positionable in different relative angular positions within a horizontal plane. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the receiving coil includes movable means for locking the receiving coil in a selected angular position. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the receiving coil is mounted to a fastening base comprising a stationary part anchored to the operating side of the magnet cavity, and a rotatable part which is rotatable with respect to the stationary part and integral with the receiving coil. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the rotatable part comprises rotating contacts for effecting simultaneous electric connection of the receiving coil to the machine. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the locking means comprises radial wedge-shaped cursors disposed in the stationary part for movement radially between retracted and extracted positions with respect to the stationary part, the cursors arranged to engage a recess arrangement in the rotatable part when in their extracted positions. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , further including means for selectively clamping a stop surface of the rotatable part against a stationary abutment surface. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said clamping means comprises wedge-shaped cursors engageable with the rotatable part for displacing the rotatable part and its stop surface into engagement with the abutment surface.